ABOVE SUSPICION?
This week we continue reading about the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle or Temple, which the people of Israel erected in the desert. The construction of the Mishkan involved raising of funds that were generously and spontaneously donated by the Israelites . The donations consisted of: fabrics, furs, woods and especially precious stone and metals. The amount donated by the people was enough to build the Mishkan. And then, there was also a surplus! Moshe was the general administrator of these funds. And although Moshe Rabbenu was the humblest of all men, and at the same time the only human being who “spoke” to God, some people from that difficult generation suggested that Moshe might have kept for himself some public funds… When Moshe heard these unfounded rumors he said, according to the Midrash: “When the construction of the Mishkan is completed, I will give an exact report of everything that was collected and everything that was spent in the Mishkan.” And this is how our Parasha begins: “El-le pequde haMishkan … “which means: “This is the report of [all that was used ror the building of] the Mishkan.”
Moshe’s account was very detailed and thorough. He gave a very precise number of everything that was used. In an emblematic pasuq, that shows the precsion of the report, the Tora says: “And with the 1775 pieces of silver he made the nails of the columns”, this were the nails or hooks that held the curtains of the Mishkan.
HONEST REPORT
What happened with Moshe was very painful. In fact, it was the first time that public funds were collected and administered in the history of the Jewish people. But this lamentable episode, people questioning the integrity of community leaders, was taken since then as a guideline to be followed by any Jewish leader who manages or has access to public funds: it is not enough to proceed with integrity; one must also do everything in his or her power to avoid arousing any suspicion of mishandling public funds. In the words of our Sages: והייתם נקיים מה ‘ומישראל “One must not just “be” honest, but also “look” honest in the eyes of the people of Israel”. The Gemara bring several examples of the leaders who had access to public funds and the way they behaved.
GARMU & SONS
The Garmu family was in charge of preparing the lechem hapanim in the Bet haMiqdash. This bread, 12 large loaves that were placed on a special table, had to be prepared with extra fine white flour, and with a “secret” formula, since it had to stay fresh for a week, and these loaves could not contain yeast. The secret recipe was kept very discreetly by this family, Garmu, who transmitted the formula of the preparation of this bread from generation to generation. Now, the Garmu family had a very special habit, which they also kept for generations. In their homes they never made bread with fine flour. The bread of the Garmu was made with whole flour, considered then as of lower category, used by poor people. Why they did not use fine flour fror their own bread? To avoid any suspicions that they are using the flour of the lechem hapanim for their own private consumption.
ABTINAS & SONS
There was another important family in Yerushalayim: the Abtinas. They were in charge of preparing the qetoret, the incense that was used in the Bet HaMiqdash. They also had a secret professional formula to prepare the qetoret (ma’ase roqeach). For example: Although we know the exact ingredients and quantities used for the qetoret, there was a mysterious little plant called ma’ale ‘ashan. And a minimal quantity of this plant would made the qetoret smoke rise vertically, instead of expanding, which was ritually required. Only this family knew how to identify this plant that had this effect on the qetoret, and kept their secret from generation to generation. The Abtinas family also had a very healthy habit: the women of that family never used perfumes! In those days, perfumes were made with the same elements used for the qetoret. And the family Abtinas did not want anyone to suspect that they had used any of the ingredients of the qetoret to make their own perfumes. Thins, when young women got engaged to a member of the Abtinas family, they had to promise that they will never use any perfume, to avoid any suspicion on misusing public funds.
